Dream On
by Ash Gray Kitsune
Summary: It should have been an easy mission. Four jounin, one goal. But when worlds collide, everything, even the power of the sharingan, falls to fate. Yaoi-centric. KxI. Rated for language/content  i.e., Iruka's mouth . Might contain a lemon if it's wanted.
1. Imagined Immunity

**DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Naruto. **

**Now, this is a bit of a different take on what I've usually done. Usually I specialize in the kind of fluff that melts teeth, but after spending a little too much time reading up a bunch of old Time and Life magazine articles about old Ludwig of Bavaria, I started thinking up plot bunnies. I've always wondered, especially given certain evidence in the manga, what would happen should the sharingan/rinnegan go out of control. Would it hurt someone who wasn't of the bloodline? Would it, perhaps, cause the genjutsu to rebound on the user? This is the baseline of this particular story, but no worries. There's plenty of lovin' to go around, with an emphasis on Irukashi and SasuNaru. If you don't care for that sort of thing, the back button is ready and willing. I don't tolerate flaming.**

Dream On...

It was eerie, how quiet the desert was. Naruto shivered a little and huddled under his cloak closer to the fire, glancing over at the other still awake. Sasuke was sharpening his katana and polishing the ebony blade, eyes dark as the sky above. Between them lay the fire, little more than glowing red-hot embers, Sakura and Kakashi's sleeping forms. The medic-nin was curled in a ball, exhausted from the fighting earlier, her chakra so heavily depleted that she'd fainted three times before they'd made it to their safe camp. Kakashi was equally worn out, having forbidden Sasuke from using his own sharingan while fighting the remnents of one of Madara's mad little cults, just in case they got ambushed. Again. He sighed a little and rubbed the ever present sand out of his eyes, wishing he could speak. However, due to their position, they'd been talking hand signals all day long, and with Sasuke busy...He suddenly smiled to himself. He waved at Sasuke to get his attention, then proceeded to spell out his question.

_You still hungry?_ Their lackluster rations rested beside him, and he'd had to pack extra when they'd left the Mist Village after it had taken Sakura three days to recover from the attack just after they'd left Konoha. Surely even Sasuke was a little hollowed out now; he'd only had two meals since the day before last. A swift nod followed his actions, and he pulled out one of the bars, tossing it lightly over the fire. The older jounin caught it, and pulling off the cloth cover, proceeded to snarf like Naruto on Ichiraku's half-priced ramen day. The jinnchuriki smiled and held up another, and Sasuke nodded again, eating this one a little slower as he stared over at Naruto.

_Feel better?_ A small smirk made its way to Sasuke's face and he nodded, setting the small cloths in his bag.

_Thanks. _

_No problem._ He paused, glancing out over the dunes, and proceeded with his next question, his face growing serious. _So, is it just me, or are those bastards finding us far too easily?_ Sasuke's eyes lost their mischief and his face tightened as he nodded. Due to his time as Orochimaru's, then Madara's 'subordinate', he tended to lose all animation and emotion when he was serious. It was the one time Naruto did not push him to 'loosen up'; Sasuke almost seemed to enter a mode similar to Shikamaru's deep thinking. He didn't quite possess the shadow nin's knack for reading a hundred moves ahead, but he could, and did usually see the patterns underneath what seemed to be chaos. Most people still found it unnerving; Naruto simply chalked it up to a person's change. Sakura still didn't understand it, but...she was growing used to the changes in her friends. He hoped she was, at least...

_It's not just you. I thought at first, and Kakashi agreed, that they might be tracking our sharingans, but the attacks...they seem too random. One moment you're the target, the next, me, and so on and so forth. It's confusing, even for me. But they are tracking us. That much is clear. How, I don't know yet. Have you had any strange chakra flows when you're in sage mode or bijuu mode?_

_ Not a one. And I've been looking. Every time we get an ambush, I've been sending out clones in either mode, hoping mostly that they'll see something I won't. Sakura too has, but she's been trying so hard to keep us in one piece that she could barely produce one Bunshin. I'm thinking that maybe you should next time, because maybe the sharingan will do what our eyes can't. _

_ I can certainly try. Let's talk it over with Kakashi in the morning, though; I think that this will go over better as a whole team of equals, ne?_

_ Cool. You know, it's weird to think that we're, for the most part, all on level with Kakashi-sensei. I mean, technically you and I should have been put on the missing-nin list and taken out. But...now we're all jounin, and together again. _Glancing up, Naruto was surprised to see...a smile? Uchiha Sasuke was actually smiling...there was no way. His face took on a whole new light when he smiled; he looked several years younger, and a lot more like the friend Naruto had grown up with. And he liked to see that. He grinned in response, and let his eyes drift to Sasuke's hands as the other replied.

_Hmph...still a baka, but a strong one. And you forget, I _was_ on the missing-nin list; I just got lucky that I knew a whole bunch of fools who seemed to think I was worth rehabilitating._ Naruto snorted softly, but his blue eyes softened. It hadn't been easy to get him off the missing-nin list and out of the execution cells...and he would never tell Sasuke or Sakura what he had to do to ensure that his friends would not be penalized for their actions in the past. Some dreams don't come true...but as he looked over the camp, he smiled to himself. Sometimes, the ones you didn't even dare to dream do.

_Psh...like that worked. You're still an asshole...but...I'm glad you came along. Our team really works best with you here. I mean, Sai's pretty cool, but you're...I dunno. More level? Nah, we're all crazy, so THAT doesn't work..._Sasuke's minute hiss stopped him, and glancing up, realized that something was wrong. Slowly, he expanded his senses, kicking sand carefully over the embers. Naruto moved to squat, reaching out carefully to jiggle Sakura's ankle, while Sasuke did the same for Kakashi. Both woke in silence, and rolling over carefully, one gray eye and a pair of green caught sight of the two guards now back to back, Sasuke surveying the sands while Naruto used his grasp of nature energy to listen and feel for any vibrations coming near them. The Mangekyo sharingan was spinning in the former's eyes, and he grit his teeth, growling very softly. She and Kakashi took up position at their sides, covering the angles they could not.

"Sasuke, Naruto...what do you see?" Came the slightly gravelly voice of their team leader, his own sharingan whirling. That he was speaking aloud was a worrisome sign; usually he communicated in taps, soft whistles, and signs. He sounded a little hoarse, but no worse for wear as Sakura readied herself with flash bombs and smoke pellets. It was Naruto's voice that answered, and glancing up, Sakura realized that he'd gone straight into sennin mode, his eyes darkened by the Sage technique. Never a good sign, if Naruto was serious.

"There's easily a small army here...and I think can just barely sense Kabuto. I know that we've been itching to fight a lot, but I think that this is one of those times that we make like the wind and get the hell out of here. We can't take this. Even with our powers...they're all revived dead." The other three felt chills go down their spine, and Kakashi nodded, unfolding his tall body with immeasurable grace.

"Sasuke, you mastered that teleportation technique, right?"

"Yeah, but it only takes one perso-"

"Take Sakura. Naruto and I will get out of here via summonings. Go!" That last word came out loud and strong, and Sakura found herself scooped up, then falling through time and space, her body feeling as though it were squeezing into nothingness...until they came out in the Sand, Sasuke collapsing at the foot of the Kazekage's tower. Sakura quickly wrapped her cloak around him, alarmed at feeling his temperature drop, and began focusing her chakra on warming his body. He'd done this once before as a demonstration, and a similar effect had occured, thankfully with Shizune around to tell her what she needed to do, and look for in the future. She held his head in her lap, talking softly to him, her focus absolute even as the guards, Temari and Kankuro, followed by Gaara himself, rushed out and tried to make sense of the situation. It was Gaara's quiet voice that penetrated her thoughts, and she glanced up at him with worried eyes.

"Gaara-san...we were ambushed. This time, there were more than we could fight...and Kabuto was there, or so Naruto believed. Naruto and Kakashi-sensei are still out there, because Sasuke could only teleport one. They were going to escape via summonings, but..." Gaara held up a hand to forestall her growing anxiety, and he nodded slowly.

"Don't worry. I'm sending out my best teams, and we'll make sure that you and Sasuke are cared for. Can he be moved?" Sakura gauged his body temperature, and sighed in relief as she realized he was stablized. Asleep, too. She noticed that his katana was missing, but he'd likely dropped it so that he could keep a firm hold on her. She smiled a tiny bit, and stroked his bangs out of his eyes, then turned back to the Kazekage.

"Yes. I'll go back out with your teams; I know where we were, and that will give us a good standing point." Temari nodded, and offered her a hand up as Kankuro picked up Sasuke.

"Come on, Sa-chan, we'll get the boys back. Gaara, I'll take Kana with me so that we can send back information." The Kazekage only nodded and turned away, leading Kankuro and the rest of his staff back inside as Temari pulled Sakura away and flung out her arm, allowing a pretty falcon to perch on the gauntlet covering her wrist. Both kunoichi studied one another before sharing a sigh. "Men..." Temari muttered, unfolding her fan. Sakura smiled and tightened her pack before hopping up on the large weapon and holding tight to one of the straps.

"Agreed..." Her eyes darkened though, and she snarled, just a little. "But if any of them have hurt those two...there'll be hell to pay."

Naruto stared, horrified at the sight before him. He'd had to summon Gamabunta when the revitalized corpses overran their camp, and in the process, somehow, Kakashi had rolled off the great toad's back, and disappeared into the crowd of monstrosities. He'd felt sick, and as Gama had turned, curious as to his summoner's distress, Naruto had begged him to go back, to rescue his sensei...

"No can do, boss. I'm under orders from the Hermit to get you to safety...sorry, kiddo. The Fang's gonna have to save himself." Naruto had tried to run off his back, to jump into the fray, and been caught in a pebbled hand, held close to the toad's chest. It was the first time he'd cried that badly since Ero-sennin had died. He'd raged, wepted, threatened, begged, pleaded...to no avail. He couldn't lose another sensei like this...the only real father-figure he'd known his whole life...Three hours later, finally, Gama had let him down to join the teams from the Sand, disappearing so that Naruto could run alongside a few former comrades, waving dispiritedly at Sakura and Temari. It only took them a short time to reach the destroyed camp...and what awaited them was beyond horrific.

Black fire burned away at the corpses, most of which were in pieces and still trying to move. It was fading, but slowly, and the shinobi ventured further in, looks of horror and nausea crossing their faces as they saw faces they knew, melting away as the powerful jutsu was destroyed by the Amaterasu. Naruto felt a chilling numbness start to steal over his body, a sickening non-feeling that made the whole world surreal...it would have remained had he not seen the limp little furball, and he found himself running forward, falling to his knees to scoop Pakkun into his arms. He stroked the pug's head and back, looking him over frantically for any injuries. Finding none, he hugged the nin-dog close.

"Pakkun...Sakura, I found Pakkun!" Glancing up, he realized that the twenty or so shinobi that had come with them were standing still, their eyes wide and hands on their weapons. He stood up slowly, and walking forward, he reached Sakura, who started when he touched her shoulder tentatively. "Sakura?"

"We found Kakashi." There was no sensei attached, no other honorific, no emotion in her bright green eyes as she stared ahead, where they had been sleeping not more than a few hours before. Naruto felt the bile rise in his throat as he turned to face his former sensei, who was sitting on one of the broken stumps, sharpening Sasuke's forgotten katana, his hiate-ate on the ground, cracked in two pieces before him. His sharingan was whirling, aglow with malicious power, and he was singing softly, his mask not hiding the hideous smirk his lips had twisted into. He looked up, and his gray eye widened in a crazed grin. The young jinchuuriki leapt into the air as the katana's blade, charged with the electricity from his chidori, planted itself right where he'd been standing, Kakashi crouched over the hilt.

"Naruto...so good of you to return."


	2. Family Matters

**Mmkay...before we go too much further, I want all of you to know that I do welcome any and all critique, as long as it's done for the betterment of the story. I really, really want to make this particular one stand out, not necessarily because of the 'madness/weirdness' factor, but because it is such a different genre than what I'm used to. So, review away! Good or bad, I will take it in stride. Flames, again, aren't tolerated, but that's because I'm old and I don't give a rat's patootie when I make it clear that it's yaoi/yuri.**

Dream On...

Rage, worry, and fear lined Iruka's slender frame, causing him to quiver even he stood still. It radiated in waves around him, giving his chakra a slightly reddish hue. Had most of the ninja of the Leaf seen him right then, they would have scoffed at his lack of control, assured that they were far better shinobi than some chuunin teacher at the Academy. He didn't even teach the older students; he coddled the children. His students were far wiser, and would have been carefully examining their homework, schoolwork, or shoes with all evidence of enjoyment had he been in the classroom. As it was, Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto were following him a few steps behind, sharing silent, fearful glances. Even Sasuke looked a little unnerved, and poor Naruto was beside himself as his teacher and adoptive parent seethed down the hallway, beyond pissed at everyone involved in the whole affair. Iruka had only been summoned an hour ago from the Leaf, after a solid week of waiting for word on how his beloved jounin team had fared.

Behind all of them, Tsunade sighed. She felt marginally guilty that she hadn't brought the chuunin earlier, but how did she explain to the Sand that a mere chuunin was the key to saving the sanity of one of their greatest shinobi? Most places weren't as lenient and open-minded as the Leaf...but in the end, she'd had to no choice. Kakashi was lost to all of them; no one else had half a snowball's chance in hell of drawing him out of the remaining hallucinations. Perhaps his lover, his beloved 'Ruka, could succeed where they all had admittedly failed. Granted, once Iruka had cared for Kakashi, she had no doubt he'd be going out for blood. And not Kabuto's; he would want the elders and council who'd denied his repeated requests to be punished. And for once, Tsunade was heavily inclined to allow him the privilege. They could not afford to lose Kakashi; let alone lose an entire team of capable, powerful jounin. If Iruka was the only person they needed to make sure the team thrived, than she'd be damned if he wasn't given his freedoms.

However...she could very well be wrong, and they might be going to Kakashi's subsequent execution. Honestly, she couldn't put it past the young man, especially if Kakashi made any move to jump him in any way when Iruka stepped inside the room. She just hoped he'd keep the bloodshed to a minimum...She didn't want to have to pay for cleaning up stucco...A gruff, wise-ass voice caused the small group to pause in astonishment as Pakkun appeared in a puff of silver smoke, looking decidedly worse for wear. The pug limped painfully up to Iruka and let himself be picked up, snuggling into sensei's shoulder.

"Hey there, Iruka-sensei...How've you been?" He wheezed softly, sagging in exhaustion. "Worried out of my mind...! Pakkun, what happened? No one's told me anything, save that Kakashi broke..."

"I wish I could help...but with Kakashi's mind in the state it's in, there's no telling what really happened to him. We were summoned, but it was only after the fighting died down...and he was...not right...the others fled back to the other space, but I was foolish..."

"Foolish...?" Iruka's voice died as he noticed the cast around Pakkun's right rear leg, and the cuts across his short, bristly fur. He felt his anger rise again, but it was tempered by sadness and a need to comfort the hurt ninken. He hugged the dog close and stroked his back before handing him carefully to Naruto, pausing to run his fingers through the boy's hair. "I'll kill him...but you'll be okay, Pakkun. Tell the others that they're welcome in the apartment; just ask Gai or Genma to get them food. Now, I have a jerk to talk to." The teacher spun on his heel and stalked forward, wrenching open the door to the max-security cell with a growl and ducking inside, he shoved it shut, his voice already rising in barely concealed rage.

"You inconsiderate _asshole_ of a shinobi! Do you have any idea how fucking _worried _I was? You are damned lucky I even cam-!" He was silenced by a pair of unmasked lips sealing over his, sharp teeth nipping at the side of his mouth as he shoved hard against the bare chest pressing him into the wall, tipping his head back and snarling as he broke the kiss. The older jounin caught his hands and pinned him to the wall, trailing his lips and teeth down Iruka's neck. As he ground his lower body into his irate lover's, the teacher brought his knee up and slammed his heel down onto the jounin's bared toes, the sound of tiny bones cracking resounding in the chamber.

The jounin stilled, both eyes gaping, and his gray one focused dimly in on Iruka as he mouthed his shock and pain. He seemed to fall away a little, limping as he tried to put weight on his now broken foot, his breathing coming in short, pained gasps. The chuunin caught him and gently pulled his arm over his shoulders, helping him to the bed he'd been lurking around as Iruka had opened the door. The sharingan had been whirling all the time he'd been trying to molest the teacher, and Iruka breathed a soft sigh of relief as he noted it calming and stilling, that eyelid closing in weariness.

"...Ruka...?" Came the soft groan, and he smiled gently, sadly. Kakashi's skin, already pale, had a terrible gray tint to it, and his skinny frame seemed far more spare than usual. He was uninjured, but clearly in a horrid state; Iruka wondered how much of that was from the Mangekyo sharingan's influence. If he had depleted his chakra so much for it to start to have a serious physical effect on him, than what would happen if it should suddenly activate, as it seemed to have on this mission? But Iruka pushed those worries aside for another day, settling his lover into the deep coverlet, cuddling next to him by way of apology.

"I didn't want to do that, my love..."

"...It's okay..." He hissed a little as he shifted to wrap an arm around Iruka's shoulders and draw him close, kissing his forehead and nuzzling his hair. "...s'not like you planned this. How are the kids?" He had to smile at that, and closed his eyes, draping his arm around Kakashi's waist.

"Scared...worried...Sasuke's as stoic as ever, pretending that this doesn't bother him."

"No injuries?"

"Naruto had a few scrapes, and Pakkun got a broken leg. You were in surprisingly good condition...given what I'd been told..." Kakashi seemed to shiver a little, and Iruka was surprised, but not as shocked as he felt he could have been, when he felt hot tears dampen his hair, and a pained sob echo from his beloved's chest. "Kashi, honey..."

"Dear gods, what have I done? I tried to attack Naruto, I tried to hurt you...I hurt my poor, poor Pakkun, for no reason! I remember attacking and fighting and killing...and taunting the kid who practically calls me Dad...and hurting my ninken...And...and...!" Iruka shushed him, holding him close as he broke down, becoming dimly aware of eight nervous, worried chakras appearing, all of them staying at the edges of the room. "I'm such a bastard...no...I'm such a monster! I'm such a monster..." His voice faded to a pained whisper, and Iruka pulled him closer, tilting his head up to place a firm, gentle kiss on his lips.

"Hatake Kakashi, I want you to repeat after me. I am not a monster."

"B-but...!"

"Repeat the phrase, baka."

"...I am not a monster."

"Again."

"I am not a monster."

"With a little more conviction."

"I am not a monster!" Kakashi paused, his eye widening a little as he gazed down at his lover. "You planned that." Iruka smiled gently, and kissed him again, ruffling his lank silver hair.

"I did indeed. How do you think I managed to get Naruto sanely through the whole Mizuki ordeal? He may have been all smiles the next day, but he'd had a terrible nightmare that night and ran to my apartment, sobbing, telling me that he was a monster and that I never should have graduated him. You took considerably less time than he did to figure out the meaning of that little exercise, but its purpose still serves, so I still remember it. Now, I want you to lie here while I get Sakura in here to heal your foot; the kids will feel a lot better knowing that you're not in trouble anymore." Despite Kakashi's pout and tangling arms, Iruka managed to unravel himself and move away, pulling off his hiate-ate and handing it to the older nin.

"Here, cover your eye with this, since yours is in pieces. I'll be right back." Before he moved too far, though, he gestured to the frightened ninken and offered them a few pats and scratches. "Alright, boys, I need you to be my watchers, okay? He's harmless now...and very much upset with himself. Let's do ourselves a favor and give the goofball a little love; he's very repentent." Bull immediately made a bee-line to Kakashi's outstretched hand, his tongue lolling out as the jounin pulled him into a hug, rubbing his ears. The others followed him, save for Pakkun, who eyed the jounin for a moment, then sighed, choosing to hop into Iruka's arms.

"You're gonna go back to him in a bit; walking's still hard for me to do right now, so he can be patient to give me my apology." Iruka laughed a little bit, and strode over to the door and knocked on it politely, waiting while someone scrambled to open the tiny hatch at eye level, clearly fighting off a hysterical Naruto.

"IRUKA-SENSEI!"

"KID WILL YOU BACK OFF? So, Iruka-sensei...is everything okay?" He smiled a little and nodded, turning to point at Kakashi behind him, who waved weakly.

"We're fine. Naruto, calm down so the nice man can open the door for me. I need Sakura-chan to come in here for a bit; I managed to break his foot." The stunned silence that greeted him when the door rolled back almost made him giggle; Naruto looked torn between horror and hysterics, Sakura just looked horrified, while Sasuke was covering his mouth, clearly hiding a grin. "See, I'm in one piece. So are the ninken, and so is Kakashi. Once his foot is healed, we're gonna head back to Konoha so I can spoil all of you with real food that isn't in those damned ration packs." He laughed at the cheer from Naruto, and gently shook Sakura's shoulder, smiling as she came back to herself with a sheepish blush. Sasuke just shook his head and caught Naruto's shoulders, pushing him down the hallway.

"We'll get our crap gathered up, Iruka-sensei." He called, giving him a sort of half wave as they disappeared around a corner. Iruka just shook his head and followed Sakura inside, laying Pakkun down on the bed when he got close enough to crouch down and take Kakashi's hand, smoothing his tanned fingers over the pale skin. His gray eye softened as he stroked Iruka's hand in return, and he smiled a little, sighing.

"I suppose my bad boy-mask image is sorely destroyed now."

"Mm...perhaps, but Gai hasn't seen your face, so I don't doubt you'll still be challenged on a daily basis."

"Maybe we can leave my foot broken...?" The hopeful look died when Iruka crossed his arms. Sakura snickered softly, putting a little more power into her healing chakra.

"Oh yes, and who's going to carry you back? The chuunin you tower above, the two seventeen year olds who have to be our guards, our _Hokage_, or the kuniochi who's got enough on her plate rebuilding your health. You'll be able to walk just fine, Master Kakashi."

"Aww...you're mean." He grumbled, working one hand through Pakkun's fur.

"No, just truthful. If you were dying, we'd take turns, but since you're not, I see no point in you being carried."

"I carried Naruto when he and Sasuke fought!"

"Because the boy was in a coma for a week afterwards."

"It's only fair, Iruka-koishi. Oh, Tsunade-sama~!"

"No, Kakashi. Save for needing food, you're fine. And I'm making sure you're suspended from all missions for at least a month; given the circumstances, I'd say the elders are likely going to investigate everything anyway. So before they have a chance to court martial you, I'm going to push for medical and psycological leave for you. So, buck up, lover boy; we've got a long road ahead of us." Iruka's eyes softened, though, at Kakashi's hastily hidden worry; he was scared that the outcome could mean exile, imprisonment, isolation...even death. And it wasn't even all of that that scared him...he knew what it was. It was the loss of himself, the loss at a chance at a life that isn't all missions and bloodletting and ANBU. Iruka had known that from the moment he'd first started going steady with the jounin; he knew, better than most, that all Kakashi wanted was a family...and for the first time in his life...he had one.


	3. Lost

Dream On...

"I know you're bored, but if I hear another paper airplane go flying around this room, then I will tie you to that chair and leave you." Iruka grumbled, pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes to stave off his growing migraine. He could almost hear Kakashi pouting, his long hands making an array of origami to amuse himself with, including the aforementioned airplanes. Ordinarily, Iruka didn't mind that he made the little paper sculptures, but he drew the line when his lover started putting the animals in various lewd positions. And had they been back at the Copy Nin's family compound, then even that would have been ignored. But unfortunately, Iruka's duties left him at an impass; which is why that evening found both men in the Missions room, Iruka fulfilling his six hours of report grading while Kakashi sat bored in the corner. What a week it had been, too...

"You're no fun."

"Oh, get over yourself. Why don't you help me out and do some grading? That way we get out of here faster." He heard Kakashi stand and swing the chair around to settle next to him, the jounin's long body draping itself gracelessly over the battered wood with a disgruntled sigh. He smirked a little when the older man sighed, reluctantly pulling over a pile of papers and picking up a pen. The evening passed without event, the normal chattering that filled the room fading as shifts ended and the night crew drifted in. Glancing over at the jounin, Iruka had to hide his smile. Kakashi was carefully examining a decidedly long report, making little marks here and there for clarification. Of course, he was probably just doing that because Iruka was there, but still, it was a start. Certainly it was better than his usual "I'm done." after he just checked off each report as complete. Iruka chuckled softly, then leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, blushing warmly as he turned back to his papers.

"Thank you, dear." Kakashi grunted, but returned the kiss.

"Don't know why I'm doing deskwork..."

"Because you love me."

"Maaaa...Probably. Though it's mostly because you feed the ninken."

"Mmm...but you buy the groceries."

"And you don't mind cleaning the house."

"Yes, and you still need to repair that window if you want me to keep cleaning the house."

"Maaaaaaaaa...can't you just love me for being amazing?"

"Nope, that costs extra."

"Damn..." Kakashi smirked under his mask, catching Iruka's eye as he slipped his left hand down to stroke the chuunin's leg, drawing his fingers gently up his thigh. "Guess I'll have to dip into my savings." He purred, satisfied by the intense shade of red Iruka had turned just from being touched so softly. The younger man tried to push him away, but Kakashi snuck an arm around his waist, pulling him close enough so that the jounin could nibble on his ear and neck, steadfastly ignoring Iruka's irate hissing.

"We're in _public!_ Dammit, Kakashi, I swear to the kami I will castrate you if you don't let me go _this instant_. Are you listening to me?" Iruka suddenly felt the world turn on it's head, and when he pulled away from Kakashi, he realized that they were home, in their bedroom, and that he had a horny nin trying, with some success, to strip him to his skin. Iruka tried to push him off, but surrendered at last when long fingers tugged that ever-present mask down, and warm lips covered his, a long body settling on top of his. Kakashi pulled away with a husky laugh, and he smiled down at Iruka with a tender affection, leaning forward to kiss the scar across his nose.

"Nope, that costs extra."

Iruka woke to a chilly bed, and he pulled the blanket close, his long brown hair falling over his naked shoulders. The silence around him was eerie, almost pregnant with hidden meanings...but he wasn't alone. A shadowed chakra resided in the corner opposite their bed, the crimson glow of a sharingan piercing the dim light. The ninken were no where to be seen, and Iruka had a sudden, terrifying thought. He was naked, wrapped in only a blanket, his weapons and scrolls scattered across his desk in the other room, and Kakashi was sitting there, clad only in a pair of pants, his implanted eye locked on the chuunin. He was in serious trouble. The teacher carefully sat up a little more, drawing his legs up and over the edge of the bed, standing with a tentative grace.

"Kakashi...?" He whispered, carefully keeping his mahogany eyes downcast so that he could avoid any genjutsu. His control over the mind techniques, while not as bad as Naruto's, was still far from most shinobi's standards. Iruka couldn't risk getting caught in the sharingan's gaze without any back up...not to mention the fact that should Kakashi do something while he was entranced, the older nin would never forgive himself. So he brought one hand up to lightly bite his thumb, letting it fall so that one small drop of blood could fall to the floor. The sharingan narrowed and spun faster in intensity. It was Bull who answered his summoning, pressing up against the backs of his legs and growling softly at the man now standing before them. Iruka set a hand on his head, kneeding his ears as he soothed the nin-dog.

"It will be okay, Bull. I need you to get Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and alert Tsunade of what's happening. Have Guruko and the others gather a secondary team of the other jounin from my class."

"What about you, Iruka-sensei?"

"I'll be fine. I promised you guys a big breakfast. Now get going; I'm getting the impression that he resents your presence." The big nin-dog nodded, whining a bit as he disappeared. Iruka turned back to Kakashi, letting his eyes raise to the level of the man's chest, feeling an icy knot start to form in his chest. The jounin's body was swaying slightly, and the chuunin stepped forward, swallowing with difficulty. "Kakashi, honey..."

"Kakashi's indisposed, at the moment, beautiful." The voice was harsh, a mocking tenor that made the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. That lanky body surged towards him, faster than Iruka had ever seen it, one hand raised to just barely touch his jawbone. He could feel the smirk on the other's face, a cruel twist of his usual kind smile. "I, however, am more than available...my, you are a pretty thing, aren't you? Such gorgeous skin...like soft caramel...I can see why Kakashi hooked up with you." Came the quiet purr as that hand caught hold of his face, raising it so that their eyes could meet...save that Iruka had closed his tightly, his jaw stiffened in defiance...and no little fear. He prayed that the Godaime and Kakashi's team would be busting down the shoji soon; this was scaring the hell out of him.

"Where's Kakashi?"

"Oh ho, he speaks...and he's got a good voice, too. Bet it sounds sexy in bed..."

"Where is he, you lecher!"

"...He's lost, little one. He can't find his way home. Which is a pity, I suppose...after all, who's going to ravish this gorgeous little chuunin?" Iruka's eyes snapped open at that, his rage overturning the terror as he shoved against Kakashi's body, stumbling away and pushing aside the shoji. He almost fell into the hallway, long hands tight on his waist as he struggled to break free of the blanket and the jounin. Iruka twisted and writhed like a cat, kicking, scratching, biting at the body gleefully bent on subduing him. He managed to slam a fist into Kakashi's throat, and leaving the Copy Nin on his knees gasping, Iruka took off like a flash, grabbing up a pair of pants from the wash the day before when he raced through the living room. Hopping a little, he got into them and grabbed up one of Kakashi's wickedly long kunai, spinning just in time for the jounin to catch up to him. Kakashi paused before him, panting slightly, the Mangekyo sharingan ablaze as he surveyed Iruka's hasty defense. He chuckled softly.

"Oh, my...the kitty has his claws, I see...Thanks for the sock to the throat, beautiful...I'll be sure to repay the favor." The sickening tone had turned into a growl, and Iruka swallowed nervously, slowly backing up as he held the kunai up. Kakashi advanced, the smirk fading into a leer...when he suddenly paused, implanted eye going wide.

"Ruka?" The chuunin almost cried at that familiar, confused baritone, and he reached for Kakashi's face, touching it lightly with his left hand. He kept a firm hold on the kunai, though, in case this might be a trap.

"Kashi? Honey, is it really you?" Muscular arms gently wrapped around him, and Kakashi's lips touched his forehead, one hand roving up to comb through Iruka's hair.

"...I think so, baby. What...what happened?"

"...He said you were lost..."

"Who did?"

"Whoever was in control of you...of your sharingan." Kakashi froze, and Iruka dared a glance up, suddenly afraid...only to see his lover's shock. He gently pushed Kakashi to their couch, managing to get him set down before he pulled the Copy Nin close, stroking his free hand through his hair. "Kakashi..."

"What's happening to me, Iruka?" His voice was soft, frightened...like a little boy's. Iruka was reminded suddenly of Sasuke when he was a child. He kissed the older man's cheek as he continued in that same voice. "First I lose control during a retreat, then the nightmares...kami, the nightmares just don't fucking stop..." His voice broke as the tears began to fall, and Iruka dropped the kunai, wrapping his arms tightly around his beloved as Kakashi broke into pained sobs, his chest heaving as he broke down completely. "I keep dreaming that Konoha's in flames, and you're dead, and the kids are dead, and everything's falling down around me...Or you're fighting and get hurt, and I can't save you from _him..._"

"Him? Him who? Kakashi, who is it?"

"He's after you, he wants you..."

"Kashi...who is he?" The jounin pulled back, tears still spilling from both eyes, though only his normal one was open, and it refused to meet Iruka's brown ones. Distantly, the chuunin could hear the raised voices of his students, Naruto leading the pack as they dashed into the compound's front yard. He breathed an internal sigh of relief and turned his attention back to Kakashi, who shook and shivered, using the heel of his palm to rub the tears away, to little effect.

"Kabuto."


	4. Interrogations Suck

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

Dream On

The psychological screening took all day; not that Iruka doubted Ibiki and Inochi's efficiency in any way. They were almost painfully thorough, having made it first a group screening with the three younger jounin from Team 7, to Iruka and Kakashi's experiences the night before, to now Kakashi alone, questioning him via a powerful form of genjutsu due to the very real possibility of his sharingan activating. Iruka sat in the background with Shizune, watching the proceedings and taking notes for Tsunade; even if it was Kakashi out there, he knew how important detailed notes would be in protecting his poor lover from the wrath of the elders. He'd already done a physical screening first thing in the morning under the Hokage's guidance, and while he was still very thin, he was healthy enough to endure the genjutsu. Shizune was there to make sure he stayed healthy, reminding Ibiki of break times and helping Iruka untie his worn out lover from the chair he was bound to in order for him to swallow a little water and carefully chew on a ration biscuit.

"Alright, Kakashi...one final question and we'll be done for the day. Can you explain to me, as best as you can, what happened when Naruto summoned Gamabunta-sama and you rolled off?" Ibiki's voice was gentle and understanding, curious, but also willing to accept an incomplete answer. They'd been working up to this point, choosing to start largely in the future rather than the past. The backtracking had seemed to work very well, allowing everyone to find pathways from the freshest memories to the ones that might have lost a little detail. Naruto and Sakura had distinctly remembered the long battle that had culminated in Kakashi's takedown, twenty-odd shinobi of varying levels against one crazed former ANBU member. It had been bloody and hellish, though not a soul had died, something that Tsunade still claimed was a blessing from the kami. Had Kakashi killed another human being in cold blood that day, he'd have been executed immediately. That thought still shook Iruka to his core; he'd been so close to being a widower with eight heartbroken ninken.

"...It's...still mostly a blur..." Came that dulled, tired voice. There were few traces of emotion now; the tearstreaks from earlier long since dried, his lone gray eye heavy with fatigue. "I fell, something that still kind of amazes me, and hit one of the corpses, bouncing a little before I found myself on the ground, swarmed by bodies. They...weren't like the other resurrected dead; they were almost mindless, wearing faces that didn't really stick. Like real zombies; they were just out for a meal. I think I grabbed Sasuke's sword; I know there was something in my hands, because I slashed a few of them up to break up a path. I turned around...saw Pakkun...kicked out at him...and woke up bound and gagged, being carried by three Sand nin. Then I blacked out again...I went in and out of consciousness...and woke up this time to Iruka smashing my foot." Iruka winced a little at the memory.

"You don't remember what happened after you blacked out both times, correct?"

"Exactly...I thought it was just an injury or something, a really, really bad concussion...Then...the nightmares came."

"When was your first nightmare?"

"Two days after Iruka's arrival. We'd just fallen asleep...and I started dreaming of the Sand in flames, so many bodies in the streets...and the shadow of a great snake rising over the flames, a figure wrapped in a black cloak atop it. Then I'd wake up, shaking, and when I laid back down, they'd start up again. They started to increase in frequency and strength, moving from Sand to Leaf...until the last one."

"Last night's."

"Yes...Before that, I'd been watching from the outside, like it was some strange, terrible movie...then that one...I'm watching Kabuto slaughtering everyone I know and care about. But I'm not just watching...I'm right there, right next to him...and utterly powerless. He hurts Iruka...then takes him, knowing I can't even lift a finger to stop him."

"Takes him where?"

"I honestly don't know...And I don't know how he keeps doing this to me...I wish I knew how to stop him." At that phrase, Ibiki broke the genjutsu and strode forward, kneeling to start undoing the knots around Kakashi's feet. The poor jounin slumped back in the chair, clearly absolutely drained, while Inochi pulled away from him and stretched, his foray into Kakashi's mind clearly taking a toll on him as well. Iruka stood up to join them, smoothing the few strands of silver out of the Copy Nin's eyes before he settled on the arm ropes, caramel fingers gently picking at the knots.

"As it so happens, my friend, I might have a solution, and a reason for you. Did you find what you suspected, Inochi?"

"Unfortunately, yes, I did. Kakashi, Kabuto managed to find a way to sabotage your particular sharingan; given his malevolent tendancies, I'm honestly not surprised. Because you aren't of the bloodline, your implanted eye isn't as secure as Sasuke's, especially in regards to ninjutsu/genjutsu combined attacks. Since it was never meant to be there, it became an insecure pathway to your mind, allowing a strong genjutsu user to bypass the normal mental blocks we're all taught, because the sharingan operates exclusively with that portion of the brain, making those blocks null and void. Judging from the extent of the technique, what he's done is entirely new and strange, and almost impossible to block...unless we seal your eye, or remove it completely. I'm well aware that the later is a difficult idea to swallow, especially given the cost of this eye to obtain. But...as long as it remains as is, Kabuto will be able to take over you as often as he likes."

"Obito's eye..." Kakashi whispered, drooping even further as he was freed. Ibiki helped him to his feet, allowing time for Iruka to pass his things to Shizune to carry and slip under Kakashi's arm, supporting his lover. Inochi gave him a sympathetic smile, but sighed a little.

"We'll have to seal your eye for now, Kakashi. I really don't want to put you through anything more, but you're at your weakest for the time being, and I doubt highly that Iruka would forgive us should something happen. Shizune-san, if you can get the scrolls...?"

"Of course." As the others bustled about, Iruka cuddled close to his lover, planting a firm kiss on his lips.

"Hey you...don't despair too much. The kids are going to spend the night tonight with us; but before that, Naruto's treating the whole lot to ramen at Ichiraku's. Feel like grabbing some take out and putting in a bad movie before we have to deal with our tastes in horror being insulted?" A slight smirk touched the jounin's face, and he lifted his head, closing his eyes as he steadied himself.

"They are right, though. Our taste in horror sucks."

"So? They aren't buying the movies. So, how about it, Kakashi-sensei?" A genuine smile touched his gray eye this time, and Kakashi wrapped his arm around Iruka's shoulders, snuggling him a little while Shizune held up the scroll to his eye.

"I say we add a tub of double fudge ice cream to the deal and throw some Icha around the living room to scandalize the brats even further." Iruka just laughed.

Even with his eye drooping, Kakashi was hesitant to fall asleep. Iruka had already passed out, Pakkun in his arms while the jounin spooned against him, and for all the world knew, the entire house was at rest. The pug that led his ninken, however, knew better, and had poked his nose over Iruka's shoulder an hour before, listening to Kakashi's worry and fear.

"Would you like Bull or Bisuke to stay awake? They've rested more than the others today."

"No...there's no need to wake anyone..."

"Kakashi, you can't stay like this till they catch the little maggot. You'll die within a week without rest."

"But, the nightmares..."

"If all goes as planned, that's all you'll have. Besides, you know the eight of us, and the four pups in the living room are all monitoring your chakra in case of surges like the last time. Why don't you take that pill Shizune gave you? It's supposed to put you beyond the dream-stage of sleep." Kakashi sighed, and rubbed his eye, feeling the edges of the seal-fabric against his fingertips. It did wonders at blocking the leakage of chakra he'd always had trouble with, and whenever he needed to actually focus on something, he found it far easier to do so than in the past. The other solution Ino had presented...it wasn't pleasant, but Kakashi found himself considering the possibility that he might give up Obito's eye. It would be an enormous handicap to do so; it is hardly uncommon for older nin to have lost organs, limbs, or eyes, but in his case, he was the only person save for Danzo to have had an implanted sharingan. And the old man had gone overboard. Privately, Kakashi was thankful that Sasuke and Madara had ended him; otherwise, no one in the village would have been able to.

But that led him back to the original problem. Not in the least of which was the fact that Kakashi found the idea so abhorrent, so much of an insult to himself and to Obito that he was resisting based solely on that fact. Of course, that wouldn't matter much if Tsunade ordered him to take it out. He couldn't deny a Hokage, especially one armed with sharp, pointy objects...but the fact that she had allowed them to seal his eye gave him hope. Perhaps they could manage this, and everything would work out alright. The first nightmares, he'd written off, truthfully; they hadn't effected him much in the waking world. But the last one...The mere fact that he had been inches from being stabbed in the heart didn't hurt him nearly as badly as the look of terror in Iruka's eyes. He'd never been brought to his knees before by such a powerful realization, and it _had_ effected him, throwing all of his self-assurance and confidence out the window headfirst. He would do anything, even destroy his best friend's greatest gift, to protect the man he loved. To that end, he was glad that he was on speaking terms with Sasuke again; he was infinitely easier to talk to than most of the other jounin...or god forbid, Sakura, in the realm of relationships. He did adore the girl, but...well...she really didn't have much experience. Granted, Sasuke's extended mostly to Naruto, but still...

He supposed that should have scared him the most...but looking down at Iruka, his face slack and relaxed in slumber, made that fear fade away into a quiet serenity. He could watch the chuunin sleep all night long, and had, frequently, after missions. There was something just perfect about coming home, soaked in blood, torn to bits, and wracked with guilt, to see this beautiful, wonderful man standing at the doorway, hair all fuzzy and eyes blurred, dressed only in a pair of loose pants, with the kind of smile that angels surely sang of. Iruka made him cheesy, made him attentive...made him punctual, for the most part. But, most of all...Iruka made everything feel safe. And so Kakashi gave a little sigh, taking the pill and the glass of water off their nightstand and drank it down, snuggling close and nuzzling a caramel-skinned shoulder. His free hand stroked Pakkun's ears, and before long, both man and dog were fast asleep, the world at peace around them...until brown eyes opened.

Iruka sat up, oh so slowly, and surveyed the long, pale form that rested beside him, his hair falling in a shadowed cascade down his bare back. His coldly calculating side, no different than any other ninja within the village, was warring deeply with the compassion and love he held so dear. A kunai appeared in his left hand, and his fingers tightened around the hilt, the blade gleaming in the barren moonlight. There was only one decision, really; where to place the blade? His hand hovered over Kakashi's left eye, before drawing down to graze the skin over his heart...when another's pale fingers stopped him, gently pulling the blade from Iruka. Sasuke settled himself across from his former teacher, black eyes hooded as he sheathed the kunai.

"Iruka-sensei, might I ask what you're doing?"

"...I can't bear to see him suffer because of that bastard."

"So defying orders from the elders, Hokage, and Ibiki-san, and betraying Kakashi's love will ease that suffering?" They glared at one another for a time, before Iruka hung his head and buried his face in the hand not holding him up.

"You're right...Gods, I have no idea what I was thinking..." Sasuke sighed a little, and ran a hand through his hair, marveling a bit at its shagginess before turning back to study the chuunin. It was...odd to be a higher rank than his teacher, and odder still to giving the man advice. But then again, he hadn't expected to poke his nose in after Kakashi's chakra had settled and see Iruka holding a blade to his beloved's heart. Not for the first time, he wished sincerely that Naruto hadn't found him, and persuaded him back to Konoha...but he owed the Kyuubi's master, considering that his best friend had given up his nomination to succeed Tsunade as Hokage in order to vouch for him. Sasuke would not let the idiot down, even if it meant venturing into the confusion that to him meant Iruka-sensei.

"...I know. Look, I can't say for certain what Kakashi might have thought had he woken up to see you, but I do know that he wants to work all of this out. For the first time in all the years I've known him, he's scared...scared of hurting you. He could give less than a rat's ass whether just about anyone else got hurt, but the idea that he might have killed you, and that your last thought would have been how much he frightened you really screwed him up." Iruka stared at him, a little shocked.

"How do you know all of this?"

"He told me the other day, when we went out to visit the Hokage." The chuunin blinked, and cocked his head a little.

"I...hadn't realized you two had grown so close. I apologize, Sasuke." The young jounin shifted uncomfortably at the remark.

"Well...it's mostly just small talk. Anyway...you'd probably get some sleep, Iruka-sensei. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." He replied as he stood up, moving quickly to the door. Iruka just smiled a little, and nodded, nestling himself close to Kakashi as he listened to Sasuke shut their door softly, then pad back down the hallway. Turning his attention to his lover, the chuunin sighed a little, and planted a soft kiss against Kakashi's forehead.

"I love you, you arrogant, self-confident...wonderful nin." He whispered, earning himself a tiny smile from the jounin.

***bawls* Cheeeeeeeeeeeeese...but good cheese, right?**


	5. Burnin' for You

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto...or anything else, for that matter.**

**Dream On**

"Every night, I look in the mirror~...all these lines in my face, getting clearer..." Kakashi's voice lifted with the song, his long hands carefully sharpening the large collection of kunai that Iruka had amassed over the years from his many classes, testing their balance as he did so, and setting aside the ones more useful for scrap than weaponry. He'd cut new wrappings earlier for many of them earlier in the day, when Iruka was still fast asleep, but he'd found that most, if not all of them, were in good enough condition to be used, and so he'd bundled up the black leather and stowed it away high and dry, reasoning that when the time came, it would be one less thing his lover, or he would have to do. Sasuke sat across from him, repairing scrolls in the same manner, for the same purpose. In fact, Kakashi's front room was filled with Iruka's former students, all of them doing something to help prepare the overworked chuunin for the pre-genin exams.

Due to the last few years' worth of war, Tsunade had revamped the entire genin system, setting the age at thirteen, and expanding the curriculum to give the significantly smaller classes a better chance to learn more skills before they were set out into the world for missions. The only problem with this? Iruka was made the head teacher...which left him with all the work, along with his own classes. So for the past few months, as much as he could, even after the 'Mission o' Doom', Kakashi had been helping him with fixing weapons, making lesson plans, repairing things in his classroom...anything that might help his beloved be a little less stressed out. Naruto had joined him almost from the onset, then Sakura, then Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino...before long, it had become a party, held during the day roughly once a week. Choji and Naruto would cook ramen and stew, while the rest spread out, resting against a ninken or Akamaru, sharing stories from their missions, laughing, teasing, and just generally playing around. Occasionally Gai would stop by with a variety of fresh fruits, his usual exuberance dimmed in the quiet of Kakashi's family keep, sitting with Kakashi and talking over a warm cup of sake.

It was heaven, as far as the Copy Nin was concerned, and he smiled through his mask as Hinata handed him a bowl of today's miso soup, her lavender eyes warm and cheerful. Naruto was napping with Pakkun, Bull half-draped over him, while Sakura cuddled with a vastly changed Lee. He'd let his hair grow out of the bowl-cut, his distinctive eyebrows cut down by regular waxing...he looked less like Gai's love child and more like a competant nin, wise beyond his years. He'd adopted the traditional dress of a Konoha nin as well, though his flak jacket was unzipped, and one hand massaged his beloved healer's pink hair while they read over the rules, Sakura picking out and editing sentences while Lee offered revisions. Shikamaru, Ino, and Ebisu sat in the sunlight, poring over the huge stack of mission reports Iruka hadn't yet gotten to, and Neji was outside weeding, his usually arrogant bearing abandoned as he pulled rogue tufts of grass and false clover from the old cobblestones that led up to the front porch. The older jounin sat back against the wall, closing his eye as he sipped the still steaming soup, Sasuke joining him with his own bowl.

"It's been a little while since we've been this busy."

"Thank you, again. It really helps that you guys come and do so much."

"...I would say that it is probably us who should thank you and Iruka-sensei. We've come together as a fighting force because of you two..."

"And as a couple, so I can see..." A very faint blush touched the raven's cheekbones, and Kakashi smiled softly. "I'm glad, kiddo. For all of you. It's great to see Sakura happy, same as the two of you."

"You should see Hinata and Kiba. They got paired up on a mission while we were out at the Sand, and they've been inseparable ever since."

"Huh...never would have pegged that one, myself."

"Shikamaru and Ino, of course..."

"Of course...How's Naruto, since the only time I've seen him awake today was breakfast?"

"He's fine. Still a little worked up from some comment Konohamaru made..."

"Really? I thought they were close..."

"Well, Konohamaru didn't appreciate all the time and energy and opportunity he sacrificed to bring me back...and he hates me with a vengence."

"Because you're with Naruto?"

"Because I stole his teacher, his friend, and his rival from him."

"But, Naruto's still aiming for the Hokage position."

"...He gave that up for me." Kakashi blinked, stunned; he couldn't even fathom that the blonde would do such a thing...but it made sense. From the day Sasuke was released, Naruto had not said a single word in regards to the dream he'd nurtured since before he'd even gotten into the Academy, though he'd been as happy as ever, if not even moreso. Kakashi knew that the two young men were living together now, what with Sasuke's home long since destroyed in Orochimaru's second attack two years ago. Unsurprising, Naruto's shabby apartment survived with nary a scratch, and though he knew how much Sasuke loathed filth, he also wouldn't turn up a free bed, especially because it came with company he enjoyed.

"That...is one hell of a sacrifice."

"That was why I chose him." Kakashi looked confused, and Sasuke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I...refused to acknowledge the feelings I had for Naruto for years, largely because I was afraid of those around me picking up on them, and using me as a way to get to Naruto. Like Itachi, I chose to shun him in order to save him...then he turns around and pulls that on me, when I was at my weakest, trapped in the cells. I...I asked him why he did it, and all he could do was kiss me through the tears. Later, he told me the truth; he loved me more than he loved the village, because he could see that I was trying my damnedest to protect him...just as Itachi protected me. So...I chose to be with him." The quiet jounin caught Kakashi's eye glancing around, as though he might be watching for someone listening, and chuckled.  
"They know, Kakashi sensei. Neji caught us one day up at the Memorial Stone, Kiba burst in on us at the apartment...There was no point in hiding something like that from nin who've known us since we were children. So relax..."

"Even what Naruto gave up? I mean, does Iruka even know?"

"...Iruka suggested it as the only real means for the elders to bend to his will. They don't want him as a Hokage, and with me on a leash, they're feeling smug and content. We just...never told anyone because Naruto was already taking it hard enough. Though, it wasn't until last week that anything progressed farther than...you know..."

"Touching? Kissing?"

"...Shut it."

"Maa, you're cute when you're blushing, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn."

"Back to a single syllable, is it? Now, that's the Sasuke we know and love." Naruto's sleepy voice broke in as he sat up, rubbing his eyes with a cocky grin. It faded, though, when he realized that his legs were asleep still from Bull's bulk. "Oi! Geddoff me, ya dopey dog." The enormous mastiff stared up at Kakashi with huge brown eyes, looking distinctly more mournful than usual.

"Do I have to, Boss?" Kakashi stretched and smirked, crooking his hand to beckon the large dog over.

"Yeah, I think you ought to, big guy. C'mere, I'll pet you if you promise not to drool too much." The blonde followed his former sleeping buddy, still grumbling, and laid his head down on Sasuke's lap, earning another blush, though Kakashi deigned not to comment on it, only smiling. Glancing out over the group of young men and women, he closed his lone eye and let his hand knead the short fur, falling into a peaceful doze.

* * *

It was utterly humiliating to be blocked out by some fool of a nin who wasn't even a quarter of his level. Kabuto frowned as he measured out another powder, his tail swishing with irritation. He needed the sharingan; Sasuke was far too protected, and too wary to be caught, and with Madara destroyed...He wanted the control so badly he could taste it. He'd already tapped out the rinnegan, destroyed the only specimen left in the world...he could not do so with the sharingan, especially now...He hissed, dropped the acidic powder into the steaming pot, and sat back, his body creaking a little. He would need to replace it before too long; the changes wrought from Orochimaru's DNA and that of the original Manda were often too much for most human bodies to bear. There was only one creature whose body could survive it...but he needed the teacher first. He smirked to himself; until he'd watched Iruka through Kakashi's eyes, he'd forgotten how lovely the chuunin really was. And it had been so long since he'd had such a delectable hostage...

* * *

"I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you~...I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you~~~" Watching Iruka drunk-dance and sing in the middle of their bedroom, his shirt long since gone, along with his pants, his long, lean body silhouetted against the candlelight...Kakashi found himself both aroused and amused. Gods, but that man was beautiful, almost moreso when he sang. One of the other things Kakashi loved about the dark-skinned chuunin was their shared love of old rock music; there was something special about being able to come home, overhear his lover singing some song that was driving Naruto insane, and being able to harmonize. Of course, Blue Oyster Cult would have to wait for a while, because that sweet, silly grin was being directed at him, and Kakashi found himself being pulled up off the bed to dance, and he pulled his mask off, tossing it off to some dark corner of the room, falling into a long, sensual kiss, soft touches just this shade of heaven...

* * *

Naruto woke with a start as the Nine-tails summoned him, something twisting in his heart as he dove into the recesses of his soul, the fox wary and angry within.

_Something's happening, kid._

"What's happening? Can you sense where it is?"

_It...it has something to do with the attack, Naruto..._

"Sasuke, wake the hell up!" As the raven pulled himself out of his beloved pillow, he caught a glimpse of Naruto throwing himself into his pants, his net shirt already on. His chakra was flaring erraticly, his shaggy hair askew, and fear radiated from him. Sasuke pulled on his robe, and just in time too, because Sakura burst into their apartment, Pakkun in her arms, bleeding, Lee, Shikamaru, and Choji in tow.

"Sakura!"

"It's Kakashi! Iruka's under siege in the house, with a few of the dogs, and that bastard Kabuto's got full control over him!"

"WHAT?" With that, Naruto sped off out the window, still dressing, while Sasuke threw himself into hakama and sandals, his katana slipping into his tie. Sakura led them out the same way Naruto left, and as the group of nin crossed Konoha, the raven drew level with the healer, his eyes narrowed.

"Kabuto has to be close, because nothing we've done has even remotely helped." Pakkun's voice was faint, the pug's eyes closed. "Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, I want you three to search for him with Neji and Hinata. Ino, Ebisu, and Kiba are leading a ground troop of chuunin and jounin to get Iruka, while the other ninken, Sakura, Lee and I will be cornering Kakashi and subduing him."

"You'll need more firepower than that, old dog...no offense, Sakura."

"Don't worry, Tsunade-sensei is already there."

"...Leave it to us, then. The little monster will die tonight."

"He'd better, Sasuke. He'd better." They were nearly there, splitting off as Lee and Sakura met with Guruko and Bisuke to speed towards Tsunade, while the other three leapt into the tree where Neji and Hinata were crouched, eyes ablaze as they scanned the area for a slimy little git. Neji gave him a wave, pointing to one of the ridges that shadowed the keep.

"I'm pretty sure he's up there; we do know that he's alone. Apparently, this is too much for his corpses to handle..."

"Given that Naruto's going to be down there frying everything with bijuu energy, that's probably true. How do you want to handle this, Shikamaru? I'm no strategist."

"...Sasuke, you knew him best, as possible as it can be."

"Yes."

"Does he keep guards around him while he's working a spell like this?"

"No...because he has a powerful barrier, and he trusts nothing and no one."

"Perfect. Sasuke, Neji, you'll be the primary attackers, while we three are support. Choji, get his attention, whatever you have to do."

"Right."

"Hinata, keep our backs covered in case something might show up."

"...Of course."

"I'll try to trap his sorry ass so that you two can kill him. Make it quick, and make it sure; I know I don't have to say what will happen if we're not." Sasuke caught his sleeve as he made to jump.

"...Shikamaru, if I fry him, will you be harmed?"

"As long as I don't get caught in the path, I won't."

"Then Amaterasu it is." They scattered, working their way around to the ridge, and Sasuke closed his eyes, feeling the raw edges of Naruto's great aura burn against his own. _Dobe...don't get hurt. Kabuto's been after you since the beginning...and I fear that he'll destroy everything you love...to destroy you._

**There's some SasuNaru for everyone! And if a lemon is desired, then a lemon I shall deliver...but right now, I kind of like it how it is. I'm spliting the chapters up a little more to give the battle a little more depth; I skimmed over the other one, so that this one gets priority. Also...it's gonna get messy and sad here, folks. Get yer hankies out; thar be angst ahead!**

**EDIT: Fixed a few things that were bugging the hell out of me last night. And yes, I know I switched perspectives. Bite me.**

**Ashe**


	6. Fall into the Sun

**Disclaimer: Yadayadayada...Y'know the drill, folks.**

**Dream On**

Contrary to his friends' belief, Naruto didn't immediately throw himself headlong into battle. Flashing by Tsunade, he'd hit the house proper, throwing up a barrier seal over the leaning structure before casting fifty of his Bunshin to encircle the destroyed front gardens. The wind, disturbed by his unique chakra, blew a little harder than usual, and he was thankful he'd kept his old goggles. They might not have been much, but they would keep his hair back, and forehead protected for the time being. Taking in the scene, he winced, for the Fifth had done some damage to the Copy Nin; Kakashi limped badly, left arm twisted and clearly broken, though his Chidori sparked and hissed from his right hand. The seal that had covered his sharingan had long since disappeared, and the eye beneath glowed with dark purpose. His mask was missing too, and the sick grin that it had hidden gave Naruto the creeps. There was something totally wrong about seeing his teacher like that, and he felt the fox's red chakra flare in agreement...He turned his attention to his Hokage, trying to tell if she was injured or not.

"Tsunade-hime..."

"Naruto, it might be wise to avoid making any more sudden movements." Her voice brooked no argument, and he turned his eyes back to Kakashi, who was glaring at the busty woman.

"Come now, Tsunade-chan, there's no need to be so uptight. Naruto-kun is my guest of honor, after all..." Kakashi's voice had been replaced by Kabuto's, and a hundred fists tightened, though they paused when the Fifth held up her hand.

"Kabuto."

"Mmm?"

"You do realize that you will not survive this encounter, don't you? As we speak, half of the village's jounin, chuunin, and genin are speeding to this keep, all with killing intent. Naruto arrived here shortly after I did; he is not much faster than his fellows, even as a jinnchuuriki. If you withdraw from Kakashi now, I will give you a headstart." Naruto gaped, and he felt, nearby, several chakras flare in shock and surprise that she would even consider such a thing...apparently, Kabuto felt the same.

"Oh, you jest, of course, Tsunade-chan. I know about your little nin...I'm sure they'll be more than happy to try and kill me...but they forget. I am in control of your greatest weapon." With that, Kakashi dove forward, his eyes ablaze, his Chidori aimed at Tsunade's heart. She twisted, deflected him, and spun away, her fist finding only open air as he leapt into a low-hanging willow...only to be ambushed by twenty pissed off Bunshin, all of them yelling, screaming, and cussing as they slugged the hell out of the older jounin. One managed to land a flying kick to his abdomen, and Kakashi flew offf the limb, straight into a blazing Rasengan.

"Take that, you stupid son of a bitch! You ain't got enough control ta beat fifty of me!" Naruto bellowed, coming down off the roof himself and landing a sharp kick to his sensei's jaw, then pummeling him with chakra-laced punches. "Yer nothin' but a fuckin' coward, never fuckin' comin' out to fight yerself!"

"Naruto!"

"I hate scumbags like you! Hate that ya gotta fuck up everyone's lives just 'cause ya can!"

"Naruto!"

"I SHOULDA KILLED YA IN THE FUCKIN' CHUUNIN EXAMS!"

"NARUTO, LOOK OUT!" The kick came out of nowhere, and Naruto flew back, landing on all fours before he managed to right himself, only to be hit hard with the forgotten Chidori...his Bunshin disappeared as the lightning sword punched through the upper right portion of his chest, his scream strangled in his throat as his punctured lung filled with blood. Screams erupted from the woods around them as the blonde fell, blue eyes glazing over from shock and pain, and Sakura burst out of their cover, her fist landing right where Kakashi had been, only to twirl and catch the jounin's broken arm, twisting it even more and throwing him into the cliff face that backed the keep. Lee came up on him in a flurry of Taijutsu, and Sakura paused for a hair's breath, catching her own sensei's eyes.

"Go fight, Sakura; I'll keep Naruto alive." She bit her lip and nodded, heart heavy with sorrow and rage...she pushed the emotion away, dropping a mask of her own in place. She hoped against hope that Sasuke was able to find Kabuto, and destroy him, before anyone else got hurt.

Sasuke grit his teeth as he fought the bindings he'd so foolishly fallen into. A long forgotten trap leading up to the overlook had caught him in a web of chakra lines, all of which were currently twisted around his arms, legs, and neck. He'd contemplated a Katon, but he really didn't need the scent of charred flesh announcing his arrival. Shikamaru hadn't seen him, he guessed, and he didn't doubt that Hinata and Neji were scanning frantically for him, but the moment he tried to talk, the cords tightened. He growled, trying to flex his body to reach the kunai in his wristguards, only to hear a faint crack in his back that warned him of an impending hernia. _Sonuva..._He gave up, quickly turned his head, and fired off a short burst of flame, hissing as the cords tightened further around his jugular before they were slashed away by his newly freed blades. Sasuke fell to the ground and took off in a wobbly sprint; he'd been suspended long enough for blood to recede from his hands and feet, and it took a few moments before he could run properly. The dark trees flew past as he ran, and Sasuke closed his eyes. The others were far ahead, still searching for Kabuto's sealed body...when black eyes snapped open in shock, and he slammed to a halt against one of the boulders edging the rim. It couldn't be...Staring down at the chaos below, the raven felt bile rise in his throat. Once again, Kabuto had suckered all of them in...only this time..._Iruka-sensei..._

Kabuto smiled, snakelike, as he laid out the final preparations for his masterpiece. Ideally, it should have been the Nine-tails lying here in the seal-circle, his nude body traced with the various spells and seals required to maintain this changing form...but really, Iruka was a gorgeous second best. Kabuto had bound his arms and legs and gagged him under the guise of Kakashi's body shortly after their little tryst, and had a little fun for himself before the chuunin realized what was going on. Now, terrified brown eyes stared at him, and Kabuto all but giggled in excitement. Not only would he be able to completely destroy the psyches of the paltry nin outside, but he could break up all those pesky, trivial relationships by killing one half, and maiming the other. Oh, what a joy it would be...But right now, he had a spell to weave, and shaking back his long sleeves, he laid claw-tipped hands on Iruka's belly, his voice rising in an eerie song.

Sasuke had leapfrogged down the face, and made his way to the group currently trying to get into the house around Naruto's barrier. It would keep the structure stable, but it made for hard going, because pillars of chakra were almost impossible to see without a Hyuuga present, or at least...Pushing everyone aside, he activated the sharingan without a regret. It only took a few motions for Kiba and the others to back off; they had no idea what lay ahead, and judging from the way Kakashi's ninken looked, beaten all to hell and lying in arms and against several of the chuunins' feet, he suspected they didn't want to know. Sasuke gave a soft order for the ninken to be cared for, and for the group to join in the fight to subdue and reseal Kakashi...though he figured that the Hokage would probably just rip out the eye. Without the sharingan, Kabuto would have no way to control the Copy Nin, and only Iruka would be in danger...but there in lay the problem. Sasuke had stopped not because of chakra, but because of the smell of a snake's dying musk. He may not have been fond of Iruka-sensei's mother-henning and nagging, but he couldn't allow his teacher to be turned into a monster.

That alone would have goaded him on, and he couldn't even begin to contemplate what the world would be like without the chuunin around, had he not seen Naruto's fallen form. Naruto... Naruto would be utterly desolate. If Kakashi died, he might be able to get over it...if Iruka died because of this...his beloved little brother would self-destruct...but right now, he had to carry on with his task. He was the only one who knew how to fight what Kabuto had become...Sasuke plunged into the darkness of the half-collapsed keep, and drew his sword, eyes aglow as the Mangekyo sharingan tore through the shadows. There would be no reprieve for a monster such as Kabuto.

Shikamaru hissed a little. Sasuke had disappeared, and Neji had reported him as having gone into the keep below, following the scent of a very powerful chakra. Hinata had gone down to join Kiba and the others; her abilities had almost completely deadened Kakashi's abilities, once Akamaru had gotten her within touching range. Sakura, under Tsunade's direction, was carefully removing the sharingan even as he watched, but deep down, a worm of doubt clouded his heart. This was too easy. Kabuto was nothing if not a clever bastard, his schemes filled with as many dead ends, circles, and labyrinthian theories that would confuse the hell out of his father on a good day. He didn't stand a chance in hell of figuring out what the little shit was up to...and he feared, deeply, that whatever Kabuto was planning...he would ensure that everyone suffered. Choji had been eating almost constantly beside him as they watched the carnage below, his nerves showing despite his near constant training and considerable 'battle therapy'.

"I don't like this, Shikamaru..."

"I don't like it either. But I trust Sasuke; he wouldn't go in alone if he didn't think he could at least succeed."

"But, Iruka-sensei..."

"Save it for now, Choji. If Naruto gets a breath of that possibility, not a person down there, or up here, for that matter, would stand a chance at escaping to safety. If he loses control...I don't need to say anymore, I think."

"I know. But this is _wrong_..."

"I know, Choji...I know." Gods, he hoped Ino was alright...she was likely spying, given her father's insistance on her staying at the Tower. The older jounin, Chozo, his own father...they waited in the wings. This was his generation's fight; if they failed...the area would be decimated, any trace of Kabuto, Kakashi, and Iruka destroyed...and anyone else who fell behind. And that included their Hokage. They could not fail. Not now...not ever.

"Sakura-chan?" Kakashi's voice, raspy and aged beyond reason, sounded from a face that looked more like raw hamburger than the handsome jounin. The rest of his body looked about the same, and Sakura set about mending his bones, focusing her power deep into his battered form. She gave him a swift smile, then closed her own eyes, forcing the bile back down where it belonged. Most of the left eye and eye socket had had to be removed; Kabuto's influence had begun to seep through the sharingan's eye and infect the frontal lobes of Kakashi's brain. A thick bandage hid the open wound from the air, though it would do little to help him heal. It would be a long time before he even came close to fighting again; nearly every bone had shattered in his body.

"Sakura...?"

"I'm here, Kakashi-sensei. Just rest; you're not in the best of shape right now."

"Ah...but...where's...'Ruka...?"

"He's in the house, Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke's getting him now-what are you doing? Kakashi-sensei!"

"Get...him...out...Kabuto...in the...house...'Ruka...hurt...!" The silver-haired jounin, his body in ruins, legs almost completely fractured, his right hand largely crushed from a well-placed Lotus Fist, stood leaning heavily on Sakura's shoulder, his lone gray eye wide and panicking. "Sa...kura...get...him...out.."

"Sasuke..."

"SAKURA, MOVE!" Sasuke's sharp voice rang out, and the healer reacted almost immediately, her body moving away from Kakashi's in a flash, when an explosion tore through Naruto's barrier seal. What slithered out of the shadows, chasing a figure in white and black, his eyes crying black blood as shadow-flames danced on the creature's back and tail, drew a frightened scream out of her throat, and Lee picked her up, near-flying to the safety of the forest. Kabuto...whatever the hell that thing had been, had become a thousand times worse. A silver snake's body flowed across the ground, even with the flames licking it's scales, topped by the male torso of a tanned chuunin, his long brown hair fallen from its usual ponytail, a hiate-ate tied almost mockingly around his neck. But it was not Iruka's face that gazed down upon them with such malice; Orochimaru seemed to stare out of those once honey-gold eyes.

Sasuke forced one of his eyes shut, to dizzying effect; having only ever activated the Amaterasu out of fear before, he could not withstand its terrible effects for long without resting. He leaned heavily on his sword, his one eye on Kakashi as the jounin's body trembled like a leaf in the wind from both the stress, and the shock of seeing his lover...destroyed so blatantly. Even Tsunade had picked up Naruto and left, racing him back to the Tower with Genma and Raidou so that Shizune could stabilize him further. A crackling drew his hazy eye, and he blinked, unable to understand what he was seeing. Kakashi's fist glowed gold and blue, lightning mixing with wind to form a chidori, but one with a power he'd never really seen before. Looking at the jounin before him, he would have suspected that the Copy Nin was on his last legs...No...Even as Sasuke made to run forward to stop him, time seemed to stop.

With a speed not unlike that of the Yellow Flash himself, Minato's pupil flew into the air, his gray eye closed as he drew his fierce chidori back, aiming dead on for the heart of the creature he had once called beloved. Kabuto's newest form seemed clumsy, almost hesitant, and in the instant before Kakashi's dive ended its poor, stolen life...two arms came up, and slanted eyes turned back to that same shade of gold that had so captivated the man before him. Iruka's arms closed around Kakashi's body as the chidori ripped through his heart, ending Kabuto's terrible existance...and returning an expression not unlike peaceful sleep to the chuunin's face. A tiny rivelet of blood slid away from the corner of his lips, and Kakashi, nearly gone himself, kissed it away. He looked up at Sasuke, his body shaking from the exertion of merely staying conscious.

"Set...us...aflame...destroy what...remains of...Orochi..maru..."

"But...I..."

"Now...Sasuke...that's a...direct order..." Sasuke felt his other eye begin to open, and he fell to his knees as the black flames came back into existance, his tears mingling with the blood flowing down his face. They would destroy any trace of both bodies...shadows danced up from the tip of the snake's tail, eating away at flesh and bone at a startling rate. It would not be long...

"...Yes, General. Rest...rest in peace." Kakashi smiled as he finally collapsed, and he gave his own protege a smile, before his face slackened, at rest at last. The flames were quick; almost too quick for him to believe, but Sasuke stayed there, eyes open, though he couldn't see anything anymore in the darkness, until there was nothing more than ash. The night passed in a near silence; around him, nin spoke in whispers and gestures, taking away the debris and the few wounded, preparing to collapse and cleanse the keep. As the sun rose, he felt, rather than saw, Sakura settle next to him, one arm wrapping around his shoulder as she leaned her head against him. One hand brushed gently against his nose, then covered his eyes, and he felt the flare of her healing chakra.

"Sakura..."

"Shut up, and let me do my work."

**I am so going to get flamed for this. I know. But you know what? It's a damned good chapter. I do hope that the Iruka/Kabuto/Manda naga thing won't get anyone riled, but when you look at some of the other monsters in the series...that seems pretty damned tame. Anywho...Sakura for the win, in this chapter. Mostly. I really wanted to showcase the fact that she's not only a healer, but she's a healer still learning the finest points of the trade; could you remove an eyeball, part of an eyesocket, and likely slivers of infected brain tissue, and have your patient wake up talking afterwards? And doing it all with chakra? Thus, she's awesome. Sasuke too, though I really feel sorry for him right now. First Naruto gets hurt, then he doesn't make it to the transformation in time, THEN he has to kill his senseis. Karma's spittin' on this kid pretty bad, ne? **

**Anywho...one last chapter, with aforementioned promised lemon, and teh epilogue. And we're done...which will mark the first FINISHED multi-chapter story of mine in...well...ever, I guess. Damn. And the freakin' manga's not even done yet, so revisions will happen, likely in the future. Alright, it's eleven PM, I have work at eight AM, and I need to sleep. Night, loves.**

**Ashe**


	7. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: Yadayadayada...Y'know the drill, folks.**

**Dream On**

**Epilogue**

"Rokudaime." Naruto's eyes lifted in weariness from the paperwork he'd been pouring over for the last several hours, and he smiled a little as a familiar form, clad in ANBU armor and a raven's mask, drew his cloak off and set the ceramic mask aside. Sasuke was gaunter, leaner than even a year ago; his sharingan swirled almost restlessly because of it. He was nearly blind now; but you'd never know it to look at him. Naruto leaned back, sighing slightly, which of course made the raven's ears perk up. "Something wrong?"

"I just miss being carefree. Kinda makes me wish that Tsunade-hime would have pounded the paperwork portion a little more into my skull." A soft 'ch' from his lover made him chuckle, and the blonde stood, his father's Hokage robes fluttering around him. He was a little taller than Minato had been, so they touched his ankles, but he'd refused to have them altered; he didn't like stepping on his cuffs anyway. He made his way slowly around the desk; he'd learned the hard way not to startle the ANBU leader by jumping him randomly. Sasuke's reactions were almost better than they'd ever been with his sight, and it had ended in several initially innocent sexual encounters being ruined by Naruto's habit of jumping the gun. He wrapped his arms around that trim waist, and sighed a little as dark, spiky hair rested against his jawline. "Missed you, you know."

"...I know."

"Do you want me to shift you to the personal guard?"

"...No, I'm fine. I like my place as a leader. We've done a lot of good work."

"I know. I'm glad; without you and your crew, we would really be in a sore spot from the Raikage."

"Is he still screwing with you?"

"More like he's pissed that I invited Bee over to see Konoha...Anyway, I need a break. I've been in here for seven straight hours; Ichiraku's and a trip to the Stone?" Sasuke smiled, and he unbuckled his armor, dropping it onto the comfy couch that practically lounged in front of the huge desk.

"You read my mind, teme."

"Nah, just heard your stomach growlin'." It had become a tradition, starting with the Third, to visit Ichiraku's during lunch and mingle with the citizens. As one of the ramen shop's most celebrated clients, Naruto had to grin everytime he set foot in the place. His people surged around him, all of them buying third, fourth, fifth, and sixth bowls for both himself and Sasuke, then sitting around and shooting the breeze while he listened to, and passed along gossip. Another tradition, started with the Fifth, had been a trip afterwards to the Memorial Stone. It was a long, peaceful walk; occasionally, Sasuke's hand would slip into his, leaving a strong squeeze and faint brushing of fingers before drifting away. The field where the fallen were celebrated came into view, and Naruto felt a weight leave his shoulders. A second stone had been added after the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and Naruto and Sasuke knelt at both, lighting a round of incense and laying a flower apiece on each headstone. Naruto's fingers traced a familiar set of names, Sasuke joining him as the raven's shadowed eyes closed.

First, of course, was his father, in the middle of the first stone, with the rest of the fallen Hokages. _Namikaze Minato_

Next, his mother, off to the side, often ignored. _Uzumaki Kushina_

Then it was Sasuke's beloved brother, etched in the ANBU portion of the stone, erased, then re-etched by Naruto's orders. _Uchiha Itachi_

Then, down at the tail end of the ANBU area, the Copy Nin's widely ignored name. _Hatake Kakashi_

Lastly, though, was a place at the top of the stone, where the teachers held sway. It was still relatively empty; the other two names had died in incidents almost laughable by today's standards. _Umino Iruka _stood above all the others, in the position of honor. He had suffered so much, had been hurt so badly...and in the end, it was his control over Kabuto's form that had saved the village. He was a hero...Naruto wiped away a tear, and smiled broadly, closing his hand over Sasuke's as they traced those strokes together.

"Iruka-sensei...Thank you, and...we'll see you and Kakashi again."


End file.
